Bottle opener and carton combination



July 4, 1961 BENEDETT! 2,990,972

BOTTLE OPENER AND CARTON COMBINATION Filed July 28, 1958 Fig.6.

INVENTOR John B. Benedefli I United States Patent r 2,990,972 BOTTLE OPENER AND CARTON COMBINATION Benedetti, 929 Azalea Ave., Burlingame, Calif.

Filed July 28, 1958, Ser. No. 751,370 4 Claims. (Cl. 220-103) John B.

One of the features of the invention is the fact that a the bottle opener is formed of relatively light gauge sheet metal and is applied to the handle of the carrier at a location where there are several overlapping thicknesses of cardboard so that the sheet metal and cardboard combine to provide the necessary rigidity which enables the bottle opener to pry off the bottle cap.

A further feature of the invention is the fact that it. can be applied to standard types of bottle carriers without extreme modification of existing types of carriers.

Another feature of the invention is its low cost of manufacture and its adaptability to standard carrier constructions.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carrier in which the present invention is incorporated.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation of the bottle opener portion of the carrier.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation of the structure of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of a modified construction.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 66 of 'FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of still another modification.

FIG. 8 is an horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 88 of FIG. 7.

As has been indicated, the present invention is a combination carrier for bottled beverages and opener for removing the crown caps commonly used to close such bottles. The invention may be applied to a large number of different types of carriers, it being understood that there are numerous types of such carriers commercially available. In the particular carrier illustrated in the accompanying drawings, there are provided ends 11 and front and rear sides 12 and 13, respectively, with a vertical partition 14 extending down the center of the carrier. Transverse partitions 16 divide the carrier into six compartments, each shaped to hold a bottle of beverage. In FIG. 2 is shown the outline of the neck of such a bottle 17 closed by a cap 18 of the crown type well understood in the b ttling art.

The carrier central partition 14 is provided at its upper end with a handle portion 21 apertured as indicated by reference numeral 22 to provide a hand hole for transporting the carrier. Handle 21 is normally fabricated with a number of layers of material in side by side relationship. Inasmuch as the material is commonly of a fairly thick cardboard, the plurality of layers of mateice rial results in considerable rigidity at the handle. Advantage is taken of this rigidity as hereinafter appears.

Bottle opener 26 is formed of sheet metal of relatively thin gauge preferably bent back in two parallel leaves 27 with the told 28 at which the leaves are bent being located on the outside edge of the opener 26. An aperture 29 of generally circular shaping is located inwardly from folded edge 28. The bottom of aperture 29 is formed with an outwardly projecting cusp 31 shaped to engage under the skirt of bottle cap 18. The upper edge of the aperture 29 is formed with a downward projecting fulcrum 32 which contacts the top of the cap 18. By positioning the bottle 17 in the position shown in FIG. 2 and twisting the bottle in a clockwise direction, the cap 18 is pried 011 the bottle with considerable facility.

The handle 21 is preferably formed with a rectangular notch 32 in one of its upper outer corners to receive the opener 26 in such manner that it is not necessary for the opener 26 to protrude beyond the normal outlines of the carrier. The depth of the notch 32 is suflicient to accommodate the aperture 29.

Various means of attachment of the opener 26 to the handle 21 may be employed. In the modification shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, leaf 27a is shorter than the opposite leaf 27b. A tongue 36 is formed at the inner edge of leaf 27a and bent inwardly through the handle 21 and thence through a slit 37 in the opposite leaf 27b. The terminus 38 of tongue 37 is built backwardly. The other leaf 27b is provided with a similar tongue 39 which extends through a hole 41 in the handle 21 and the terminal portion of the tongue 37 is bent outwardly. This means of attachment secures the opener 26 to the handle 21 Without the use of independent attachment means.

In the modification shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, leaves 270 of the carrier 26a are of the same length and are placed on the outside of the handle 21. One or more conventional wire staples 46 may be driven through the leaves 270 and the intervening handle 21 and bent over in a manner well understood in the wire stapling art.

In the modification of FIGS. 7 and 8 the leaves 27d are similar to the leaves 270 of the modification of FIGS. 5 and 6. However, the leaves 27d are inserted between the several layers of material of the handle 21 and are thus concealed thereby. Staples 46a are driven through the handle 21 and leaves 27d to secure the carrier 26b in position. The shape of the bottle opener portion of the modification of FIGS. 5 and 7 is essentially the same as that shown in FIG. 2 and it will be understood that such shape may be modified in such manner as desired, provided the structure operates to remove the bottle cap in use. The carrier is employed in conventional manner to transport capped beverage bottles 17 to the point of consumption. When it is desired to open one or more bottles, the cap 18 is positioned in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2 and a twisting movement in a clockwise direction is applied to the bottle, the opener 26 functioning to pry the cap 18 ofi the bottle 17. Hence the necessity of having a separate bottle opener and the inconvenience which occurs when a bottle opener cannot be located when it is desired to open bottles are eliminated.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modificaitons may be practiced within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A bottle carrier comprising an open-top box formed of cardboard and having a substantial rectangular shape in top plan and having partitions to separate bottles in said carrier, a substantial flat, vertical handle formed of a plurality of layers of cardboard centrally disposed in said carrier and extending transversely of said carrier and having a substantial vertical side edge lying in a common vertical plane with the side of said carrier, said handle being formed with a notch extending inward from 5 said side edge; a unitary, thin flat metal portion having its outer edge extending out no further than said side edge, said metal portion being a relatively long member lying parallel to said handle and transversely of said carrier, said metal portion at least partially filling said notch, said metal portion being formed with an aperture within the outline of said notch and opening along said vertical side edge, said aperture being that of a bottle opener and having an upwardly extending cusp at its outer lower edge and a downward extending fulcrum at its outer upper edge, said cusp and fulcrum cooperating to pry a cap from a bottle; and fastening means attaching said metal portion to said handle.

2. A carrier according to claim 1, in which said metal portion is positioned between the layers of cardboard of said handle.

3. A carrier according to claim 1, in which said metal portion is formed in fiat parallel leaves folded along said vertical side edge.

4. A carrier according to claim 1, in which said 10 leaves are disposed on opposite sides of said handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 2,425,401 Shaw Aug. 12, 1947 2,806,393 Vickers Sept. 17, 1957 2,821,101 Hendricks Jan. 28, 1958 

